How does one tell...

[Lorenzo Brown]

...if a repair is truly "period" as many ads claim?

We see them all the time: "period repair", "field modification", "recipient repair". etc, etc, ad nauseum.

But how does one really determine that these repairs and/or modification adjustments were done by the recipient or during the war? What does one look for?


What say ye?

[John T]

I would think by the type of solder used and the patina on the solder. I do not know if they used different solder back then but they may have...also patina can be faked. Maybe the only way to know is if you got it first hand from the vet that way.

[Mike Kenny]

But how does one really determine that these repairs and/or modification adjustments were done by the recipient or during the war?

Hi Lorenzo,

I have to admit to being guilty of using the "period repair" phrase more than once and to be honest there is no real or absolute way of determing this, unless some sort of detailed scientific metal analysis (eg some of the SEM work we've seen lately) or accurate age analysis on the repair material can be performed. But that's probbaly not really a cost effective solution.

Common sense has to come into it though. If you get a repaired badge from a little old lady who's hubby brought it back from WW2, the "period repair" claim is probably true - at least at the time you bought it but sceptics will question it when you go to sell it (I'm not aiming that at you specifically - it's a natural reaction I tihnk any of us have if we actually THINK about the claim). If the repair does not look old, I don't think the claim could be made - BUT repairs (eg lead solder) can be quickly artifically aged.

Some repairs are obviously wartime - eg the large flat-topped aluminium rivets commonly found on repaired Aluminium LW flight badges. These were probably "factory" repairs though. The same goes for replaced catches which were screwed into the wreath, all the way through, and then ground down flush on the obverse.

If the repaired badge has come from a "questionable" dealer then I'd certainly question the "period repair" claim.

Regards
Mike K

[Al P]

There is No way to know when a 'repair' was made unless YOU were the one that 'repaired' it.

Al

[MONTA]

But "period repaired,repaired by receipient", etc. sound better for buyers than repaired or repaired after war.
J think its very hard to tell, when badge was repaired, during the war or for example 5 years later.

There is No way to know when a 'repair' was made unless YOU were the one that 'repaired' it.

Al

[Luftm40]

"Period repaired" is just a way to make a flawed badge more appealing to a prospective buyer...there is no way to know for sure IMO

[François SAEZ]

IMO, depending on the repair (where and how - I tend to prefer crude and obvious repairs), from whom you get the badge, in what condition (coming from a group or not), you can have a good feeling.
Now, don't forget that during the war, it happened everyday that a badge was damaged and repaired (locally or returned to the maker) as repair is not a post war privilege.

But again, it is only my opinion.

[François SAEZ]

opinions?

[robert60446]

In my opinion most of the repairs with use of the original to the badge hardware components were made during the war. The story is different when you can see uncharacteristic for the manufacturer hardware used on the repaired badge.